Career and Education Opportunities for Locksmiths in Cambridge, Massachusetts

There are many career and education opportunities for locksmiths in the Cambridge, Massachusetts area. There are currently 580 jobs for locksmiths in Massachusetts and this is projected to grow 16% to 670 jobs by 2016. This is better than the national trend for locksmiths, which sees this job pool growing by about 12.0% over the next eight years. Locksmiths generally repair and open locks; make keys; change locks and safe combinations; and install and repair safes.

Income for locksmiths is about $18 hourly or $39,160 per year on average in Massachusetts. Nationally, their income is about $16 hourly or $34,460 yearly. Earnings for locksmiths are not quite as good as earnings in the general category of Specialized Equipment in Massachusetts and not quite as good as general Specialized Equipment category earnings nationally.

The Cambridge area is home to 149 schools of higher education, including one within twenty-five miles of Cambridge where you can get a degree as a locksmith. The most common level of education for locksmiths is a high school diploma or GED. It will take only a short time to learn to be a locksmith if you already have a high school diploma.

CAREER DESCRIPTION: Locksmith

Locksmith video from the State of New Jersey Dept. of Labor and Workforce Development

In general, locksmiths repair and open locks; make keys; change locks and safe combinations; and install and repair safes.

Locksmiths insert new or repaired tumblers into locks to change combinations. They also cut new or duplicate keys, using keycutting equipment. Equally important, locksmiths have to disassemble mechanical or electrical locking devices, and repair or remove worn tumblers and other parts, using hand tools. They are often called upon to move picklocks in cylinders to open door locks without keys. Finally, locksmiths keep records of company locks and keys.

Every day, locksmiths are expected to be able to see details at a very fine level of focus. They need to control and manipulate objects at a fine level of detail. It is also important that they control objects and devices with precise control.

It is important for locksmiths to repair and adjust safes, vault doors, and vault parts, using hand tools and welding and acetylene cutting apparatus. They are often called upon to open safe locks by drilling. They also set up safes and deposit boxes in line with blueprints, using equipment such as powered drills and dollies. Somewhat less frequently, locksmiths are also expected to cut new or duplicate keys, using keycutting equipment.

Locksmiths sometimes are asked to remove interior and exterior finishes on safes and vaults, and spray on new finishes. And finally, they sometimes have to remove interior and exterior finishes on safes and vaults, and spray on new finishes.

Like many other jobs, locksmiths must have exceptional integrity and be reliable.

EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES: Locksmith Training

North Bennet Street School - Boston, MA

North Bennet Street School, 39 North Bennet St, Boston, MA 02113-1914. North Bennet Street School is a small school located in Boston, Massachusetts. It is a private not-for-profit school with primarily 2-year programs. It has 149 students and an admission rate of 62%. North Bennet Street School has a one to two year program in Locksmithing and Safe Repair which graduated seven students in 2008.

LOCATION INFORMATION: Cambridge, Massachusetts

Cambridge, Massachusetts photo by Scs

Cambridge is located in Middlesex County, Massachusetts. It has a population of over 105,596, which has grown by 4.2% in the past ten years. The cost of living index in Cambridge, 142, is far greater than the national average. New single-family homes in Cambridge are priced at $1,078,700 on average, which is far greater than the state average. In 2008, twelve new homes were constructed in Cambridge, down from twenty-five the previous year.

The top three industries for women in Cambridge are educational services, professional, scientific, and technical services, and health care. For men, it is educational services, professional, scientific, and technical services, and health care. The average travel time to work is about 24 minutes. More than 65.1% of Cambridge residents have a bachelor's degree, which is higher than the state average. The percentage of residents with a graduate degree, 38.5%, is higher than the state average.

The unemployment rate in Cambridge is 5.6%, which is less than Massachusetts's average of 8.4%.

The percentage of Cambridge residents that are affiliated with a religious congregation, 73.6%, is more than both the national and state average. Western Avenue Baptist Church, Massachusetts Institute of Technology Chapel and Cambridgeport Baptist Church are some of the churches located in Cambridge. The largest religious groups are the Catholic Church, the United Church of Christ and the Episcopal Church.

Cambridge is home to the Great Court and the Cutter Square as well as John A Ahern Field and Sheridan Square. Shopping malls in the area include Porter Square Shopping Center, The Atrium Shopping Center and Cambridgeside Galleria Shopping Center.